Knitting machine needle bar lock



KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE BAR LOCK Filed March 19 1932 HRH 999/ J a WW/ZMM/M QL INVEN'QI'OR ATTORNEK V such machines 10 Patented Feb. 2a, 1933 PATENT OFFICE 01 OZBERLUNGWITZ, GERMANY, me, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A conronamon or mew .essmnoa mo nuo YORK KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE BAR LOOK Application filed larch 19,

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in knitting machines, and particularly those my invention relates to machines of this type in which the needle-bar-is composed of sections, one or more of which may be swung out of knitting position. In it is absolutely essential that the swingable section or sections, when in lmitting position, be perfectly aligned or positioned with respect to the other sections of the bar, otherwise the fabric knit upon the swingable section will not correspond exactly with that knit upon the other sections since the loops will be of different length.

'Heretofore it has been the custom to lock the swingable portions of the needle-bar when the main portion of the needle-bar which, when pushed in front of the swingable portion, locks it between itself and a stop on the main portion. This method of locking has the disadvantage that all parts must be very accurately machined and fitted sothat the swinging portion, when in knitting position, will be in exact alignment and also beheld in such position without the possibilit of. the slightest movement therefrom. If t are not made and fitted with the greatest accuracy, the needles of the swingingportion will not line up with those of the mam ortion or will not be constantlyheld in such .ali ent.

and rigidity is originally obtained, a certain amount of wear is inevitable so that difiiculties may be expected as time goes on when this type of needle-bar lock is employed.

By my invention an adjustment is provided whereby the 'swingable portion of the needlebar may be aligned with the other portions whenever .necessary. It also provides a means for' lockin which, irrespective of wear, will insure t at the swingable portion is maintained positivelyin its adjusted position and which at the same time provides for instantly releasingthis portion whenever it v is desired to swing it out of knitting o sit1on. In the following description an 1n the designed for knitting full. fashioned stockings. 5 Specifically,

in knitting position by means of a slide on e parts urthermore, even if perfect adjustment ed to'engage with beveled face 10 on 1932, Serial No. 599,913, and in Germany July 9, 1931.

drawing I disclose one form of my invention from which its character will-be readily understood. I do not intend to limit my invention to this .form however, since it is obviously susceptible to modification in various ways without departing fromit. 7 In the drawing- Figure 1 is a cross-section of the needle-bar of a 'k2nitting machi ne along the line A A of- Fig. 2 is a front plan, view of the same needle-bar illustrating a swingable section thereof, the manner in which it is mounted and the means whereby the lock is operated.

he non-swingable portion of the needle bar whichl will main portion is shown at 1. The swingable portion is'generally designated by. the numeral 3. .As will be seen it is mounted on bearings 2 so that it may swing forward out of knitting positionportion of the needle-bar is provided with a projection 4, designed to extend throu h an opening 5 in the swingable section an 'provided wtih a recess 6 1n which is mounted a sliding latch 7 whichisnormally maintained in its uppermost position by a spring 8. Latch 7 may be provided at its lower end with hereinafter refer to as the I 1'. when desired. The main a spindle 9 passing'through an opening in the lower end of the recess 6, which serves as a lower bearing for the-latch and insures that'it will operate easily and accurately. Latch '7 is provided with a; beveled face 10 "and also with an inwardly extending lug: or.

pin 11.

The swingable portion of the needle-bar is also provided with a beveled face 12 adaptthe late as shown in Fig. 1, when the swingable portion of the needle-bar is in knitting pos i tion.- This portion of the needle-bar is also provided with a means :for' aligning it with the main portion of 'theneedle-bar. This is 1 shown in the drawing as an adjustable stop 13 threaded through the swingable portion and projecting from its inner faceso that itmay contact with 'themain portion, as shown at 14. By ad'ustin'g this stop1 the position of the swinga le portion wit respect .to the sired to bring down and of the needle-bar whenever necessar automaticall main portion may be readily altered to secure the desired and essential alignment.

The operation of the latch will be evident to anyone skilled in the art. .When it is dethe swingable portion of the needle-bar into knitting position, it issimply swung backward upon its bearings 2-until stop 13 strikes the face of main portion 1. Meanwhile, the swingable portion has engaged latch 7, depressed it and passed behind it, whereupon it is effectively locked in knitting position through the engagement of beveled face 10 of the latch with the complementary beveled face 12 of the swingable portion of the bar. Irrespective of the adju'stment of the swingable portion it will be held firmly in position by the latch through the agency of these beveled faces. The operation of moving the swingable portion into knitting position behind the latch is facilitated by providing both it and the latch with additional beveled faces 15 and 16.

I also provide the following means for re tracting the latch when the operator desires to move the swingable portion of the needlebar out of knitting position. In the form shown in Fig. 2, this consists of a rod 17 slidably mounted in guides 18 on the main portion of the needle-bar. This rod may be mounted in any desired way. As shown, it is attachedat its ends to brackets 19, afiixed to an operating lever 20, whereby it may be slid either to the right or left as desired. ,As will be seen from Fig. 1, rod 17 is so positioned that it passes behind latch 7 and immediately above pin 11, projecting inwardly from the latch. The portion of rod 17 adjacent pin 11 is provided with a cam surface 21, as shown in Fig. 2, against which pin '11 rests. By moving operating lever 20 and,

I'consequently, rod 17 either to the right or left, cam surface 21 will force pin 11 down- .ward and consequently will cause the latch 7, of which in 11 is a part, to be'also drawn isengaged from the swingable portion of the needle-bar, thus releasing it so that it may be swung out of knitting position. In this way I have provided very simple and efiective means of adjusting the position and of maintaining it in adjusted and knitting position. Any normal amount of wear will have no effect upon the rigidity of the swingable portion, since thespringpressed latch 7 will compensate therefor through the action 0 its beveled face 10 a ainst the complementary beveled face 12 on te needlebar. In this way I have overcome successfully a most serious defect in present-day machines, without adding fcomp ications of an consequence.

claim:

1. Aknitt-ing' machine having a needle-bar,

a section of which is swingable out of kniting the alignment of said section with the" other section of the needle-bar, and resilient means for maintaining said swingable portion in any adjusted position.

2. A knitting machine having a needle-bar, a section of which is swingable out of knitting position, means for continuously adjusting the knitting position of said section, and resilient means for maintaining said swingable section in any adjusted position.

3. A knitting machine havin a needle-bar, a section of which is swingable out of knitting position, means for continuously adjusting the knitting position of said section, and means for maintaining said section in any adjusted position consisting of a spring pressed latch.

4. A knitting machine having a needle-bar composed of a fixed section and a section which is swingable out of knitting position, means for adjusting the knitting position of said swingable section a beveled face on said section, and means on said fixed section co operating with said beveled face for maintaining said section in any adjusted knitting position.

5. A knitting machine having a needle-bar, a section of which is swingable out of knitting position, means for continuously adjusting the alignment of said section with the other section of the needle-bar, resilient means for maintaining said swingable portion in any adjusted position, and means for retracting said last mentioned means to release said section from aligned-position.

6. A knitting machine having a needle-bar, a section of which is swin gable out of knitting position, means for continuously adjusting the knitting position of said section, resilient means for maintaining said section in any adjusted position, and means for retracting said resilient means to release said section, from adjusted position.

7 A knitting machine having a needle-bar, one section of which is swingable out of knitting position, a beveled face on said section, means cooperating with said beveled face for maintaining said section in knitting position, alug on said last mentioned means, a cam engaging with said lug and means for operating said cam to movethe lug to retract said maintaining means.

vIn testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 18th day of March A. D.,

KARL RICHARD LIEBERKNECHT.

ting position, means for-continuously adjust- A 

